The 4-H Salsa Gardening for Kids is a new program offered by the University of Illinois Extension and will appear on Monday, April 29th. Attendees will learn the basics of gardening with a focus on the fruits and vegetables that are needed for salsa.

The program is coordinated by Taylor Pope, the new 4-H Youth Development Coordinator, and she says attendees who make their way to the Christian County Extension Office from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. will leave with a better understanding of the growing process, and hopefully some delicious salsa.

Sara Marten, County Director is pleased with the first programs created by Taylor Pope.

Registration for this class is due by April 25th and that information can be found at registration.extension.illinois.edu, and look up 4-H Salsa Gardening for Kids.

Sara Marten and Taylor Pope appeared as guests on the WTIM Morning Show.
 

Christian County 4-H is welcoming its new 4-H Youth Development Program Coordinator. Taylor Pope is a graduate of the University of Illinois Springfield and a past member of the Montgomery County 4-H Club. Pope has experience coordinating events for youngsters as she got her start creating activities for SNAP-eligible audiences.

Both Taylor Pope and Sara Marten, County Director are ready for the busy summer season, now with a fully staffed team.

As Pope is no stranger to creating engaging activities for 4-Her’s, she reminisces about one popular health program that would make appearances.

Sara Marten says that being a past 4-H member is not a requirement for employment with the Christian County 4-H coordination team, but it helps understand the wide range of topics, and the commitment and passion that is needed.

Visit extension.illinois.edu/cjmm to find programs, registration, and more information for the 4-H clubs across Central Illinois.

Taylor Pope and Sara Marten appeared as guests on the WTIM Morning Show.

Kevin Bernson, the Vice President of Media and Public Relations at Shelby Electric Cooperative, has been honored with Touchstone Energy's Distinguished Service Award. The award was presented to Bernson during the 2024 National Rural Electric Cooperative Association PowerXchange event held in San Antonio, Texas.

With 35 years of experience with Shelby Electric, Bernson's dedication and contributions to promoting the Cooperative Difference have been recognized. He played a large role in shaping Touchstone Energy into the robust brand and national network it is today.

Shelby Electric Cooperative, which serves communities across multiple counties in Illinois, takes pride in Bernson's achievements. His quarter-century tenure with Touchstone Energy showcases his unwavering commitment to the cooperative's mission.

Cooperatives like Shelby Electric are organized by their non-profit status and member ownership, reflecting a community-focused approach to delivering important services.

Bernson's recognition shows the significant impact individuals can make within the cooperative sector, delivering a sense of pride and camaraderie among member-owned utilities nationwide.

Touchstone Energy Cooperative was established in 1998 and encompasses more than 700 local, consumer-owned utility cooperatives across 46 states. The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, representing over 900 electric cooperatives nationwide, commends Bernson's exemplary service.
 

Millan Mowing services are up and running in Christian County as Co-Owner Luke Millan spreads the word on his fully insured, competitively priced, and comprehensive business. Serving commercial and residential properties, Millan says, Millan Mowing is ready for many different landscaping jobs.

Standard operations such as mowing trimming and spring and fall clean-up are offered by Millan Mowing. Luke Millan says his team will work with a customer to address their needs and even will get in the dirt and plant seeds.

Millan Mowing services all of Christian County and a few surrounding areas and can be reached by calling 217-827-3660, or by visiting their website for more information at millanmowing.com.

Luke Millan appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.
 

C.E.F.S. Economic Opportunity is now accepting applications for its CSBG College Scholarship.  Applications will be accepted through May 31, 2024.  Applications are available at any C.E.F.S. Outreach Office and on our agency website at www.cefseoc.org. Minimum scholarships will be $1,100.00.

To be eligible, applicants must meet the Income guidelines (based on gross income) listed on the application form and provide all documents identified on the application form.  The scholarship is only available for those who will be attending an Illinois post-secondary institution and enrolled full-time.

Funding is made possible by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, as part of the Community Services Block Grant.
 

For further information contact: Cindy Mayer, Outreach Director at (217)342-2193 ext. 121 or cmayer@cefseoc.org.

A current house bill awaits a committee decision concerning high school mascots and the termination of Native American-themed names and mascots. Nokomis School District along with more than 50 other schools in Illinois now face losing their mascot and name if the bill passes.

Scott Doerr, Superintendent for Nokomis School District says the school administration is working with sponsors to amend the language of the bill to maintain their Nokomis identity.

The Nokomis Redskins was a name that was voted on by the Nokomis School Board in 1920.

Doerr says Nokomis School District has a curriculum surrounding Illinois and Native American history, he continued by saying there are more important issues the General Assembly should be addressing.

House Bill 5617 has been assigned to the Elementary and Secondary Education Committee for further approval and Doerr says the purpose of these logos and names is to remember and honor the history of the Native American culture.

Scott Doerr appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.

Two Taylorville residents who were arrested for sexual exploitation of a minor have been released following their arrest, until their trial.  31-year-old Brandon Wilson and 33-year-old Meghan Wilson, both of Taylorville were arrested over the weekend.  On Tuesday, a preliminary hearing was held and after the detention hearing, both were released.  Brandon Wilson’s next scheduled hearing is a preliminary hearing set for May 3rd.  Meghan Wilson’s preliminary hearing and first appearance with counsel is set for April 29th. According to authorities, the child is safe. 

The Social Security Administration is working to “Slam the Scam” as various impostor scams have grown in popularity where scammers pretend to be from a government agency, asking citizens for money. Staggering statistics show the vast amount of funds lost by Americans in 2023.

Jack Myers, a Public Affairs Specialist with the Social Security Administration says these impostors are good at what they do, and cause unsuspecting people to send money to scammers that they will likely never see again.

Identifying the scam is the best practice to avoid having your money stolen says Myers.

Payment options are often requested as E-gift cards or through an online transfer service. Myers says no government agency will request this form of payment, he says it will be abundantly clear when the Social Security Administration or the Internal Revenue Service needs to get in contact with you.

For more information about scams, to report a scam, or for more details visit www.ssa.gov/scam/resources.

Jack Myers appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.
 

The City of Edinburg will soon be home to Sloan Implement’s new 30,000-square-foot manufacturing, sales, maintenance, and parts facility. Sloan Implement will be moving from its current location at 240 South Spresser Street in Taylorville to a 30-acre plot of land in Edinburg.

Matt Hart, Executive Director of the Christian County Economic Development Corporation says operations have outgrown the Taylorville facility for Sloan's but the busy location will provide an opportunity for an incoming business.

Hart informs the community that construction will begin soon and the process will carry through 2024.

The relocation of Sloan Implement will be huge for the city of Edinburg, says Matt Hart.

To reach Matt Hart and the Christian County Economic Development Corporation, call 217-565-2280.

Matt Hart appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show. 

The Illinois EPA held a meeting on Tuesday evening regarding the Ameren/CIPS Taylorville  MGP site to discuss and inquire about the five-year update and the current plans for the project moving forward. Through many timelines, testing information, and questions, the Illinois EPA confirms that they have not detected contaminants above the EPA standards, moving into the air, soil, and water surrounding the site and into the community. 

In attendance to answer questions were Brad Frost, Community Relations Manager for the IEPA, and his team, along with Greggory Miller, Environmental Protection Specialist for the IEPA and Project Manager.

A presentation was given by Miller to review the five-year update of the site. Recent sampling events at the site for the water, air, and soil have returned to the IEPA showing levels that comply with the EPA standards. On the site of contamination, benzene had shown levels that were above the EPA limit, but the pump and treatment system will continue to treat the specific wells.

Air monitoring was focused on heavily as Miller said this was one aspect the community was concerned about most. It was confirmed that air monitoring systems have been running since the project's inception. Emissions of particulate matter, or anything in the air that may be contaminated, set off the air monitors five times since November 15th, 2023. The explanation for these detections was that the air monitoring system is extremely sensitive and can be set off by severe weather events, which was the cause for multiple detections and the others were explained to not be caused by the Ameren/CIPS MGP site.

Positives were presented for the pump and treat system which were the system history of good results and the materials being in place at the site currently. The negatives for the project were the 100-year timeline and the maintenance and repair needs.

A question and answer session was put before the public, questions were only allowed to be about the pump and treat system. One question for IEPA inquiring about well water samples came back with the detection of contamination, but the well was the third of three wells where the first two did not display detection, the IEPA explained that the detection was caused by an outside factor and not the remediation site.

About 15 people were in attendance and three citizens brought questions to the board where more confirmation was found that the Illinois EPA and Ameren have been acting in accordance with EPA standards.

More data is expected from Ameren in the coming weeks, says the IEPA Community Relations team.

Site history and five-year plans can be found at the Taylorville Public Library.

The Taylorville Kiwanis Club heard about the restoration of a downtown Taylorville building for the new location of the Fur Love Charitable Resale Shop, at their weekly meeting on Tuesday at the Taylorville Moose Lodge.  

Program speaker was Steve Craggs, chairman of the Small Town Taylorville Committee, who spoke on the “Journey of Renovation” on the former Cohens Men’s Store on the square, and moving of the Fur Love Charitable Resale Shop operated by Craggs and his wife Sheryl to that location.

   The 2 founded the resale shop last year at a different location on West Main Cross, to raise funds for a 24-hundred square foot addition to the Christian County Animal Control property as animals are a passion of theirs.

The Craggs’ are moving the Fur Love Shop to the former Betty Rose Furniture building, originally built as Cohens Men’s Store in 1892, on the southwest corner of the Taylorville square that they purchased from Lee and Diane Skinner in November of 2023.  The Skinners had begun renovating the property.

Steve Craggs shared with the Kiwanis club a slide presentation of renovating the 14-thousand-square-foot structure, including the uncovering of many unique features of the structure.   Craggs hopes to have Fur Love’s moved to the new location in the next 60 days or less.

The public is reminded of the 75th annual community Easter Egg Hunt that the Kiwanis Club will again be a sponsor of; the April 6th Kiwanis Park Clean-Up Day from 9 til noon; and the Kiwanis Pancake and Sausage Breakfast Saturday, April 27th at the Moose Lodge which is one of the club’s biggest fund-raisers to assist children and youth in the community.

The Taylorville Kiwanis Club is part of a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time.  Weekly meetings are held Tuesdays at noon at the Taylorville Moose Lodge.  For information on the club, go to taylorvillekiwanis.com.

Small Town Taylorville is highlighting upcoming events for the spring and summer seasons that continue to bring citizens to the city to shop and eat. The Spring Shopping Kick-Off was successful as many local businesses participated with sales and specials for the weekend of March 23rd and 24th.

The first Car Cruise of 2024 is set for Friday, May 3rd on the Taylorville Square followed by the opening day of the farmers market on Saturday, May 4th, says Liz Conaway, Marketing Manager for Small Town Taylorville.

Conaway says that in her four years as Marketing Manager for the Small Town Taylorville group, great efforts have been made to create a comprehensive website where citizens, local and new to the city, could find restaurants and stores in Taylorville.

Search Small Town Taylorville on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.

Liz Conaway appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.

“My Community My Family” met at the Taylorville Municipal Building on Monday evening to release and discuss results from private testing that the group did. 

These are not the full release of all testing by “My Community My Family” but include a small sample size of the testing. There were wells, standing water, ponds, sediment, and soil tests were taken. 

The main cause of concern from Brenda Kimble the main speaker was the findings of Toluene-d8 in the well samples which according to Kimble isn't safe at any amount. 

The other concern from Kimble is that the Aluminum and iron found in the soil are at abnormal levels.

More results are expected to be released in the coming weeks. 

The community is reminded of a public hearing on March 26th at Lincoln Land Community College in Taylorville to answer questions from the public.
 

 The Taylorville Park Board met on Monday evening for a brief monthly meeting, among the topics were the Ameren remediation site, the pool, and budget talks. Jeff Hancock was absent.

New Taylorville Park District secretary Kelly Frisina-Bland was present. 
The board discussed the flexibility of the pool with new knowledge of the OSLAD grant terms and uncertainty with Manners Park. 

The board then heard from the maintenance director.

The board approved minutes and the treasurer's report. 

The next park board meeting is set for April 22nd.
 

Multiple media sources are reporting that Peterson Health Care based in Peoria filed for Chapter Eleven bankruptcy last week.

Peterson operates 100 nursing homes in Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri, including Nokomis, Pana, Shelbyville, Sullivan, Mattoon, and Decatur in the Regional Radio listening area.

Peterson was reportedly the victim of a ransomware attack last October that interrupted their business operations to bill patients and insurance companies.  Multiple media sources added that 19 of their locations also were placed into receivership after they defaulted on some 50-million dollars in loan payments.

Their 2023 revenues totaled some 340-million dollars.   

In documents filed Sunday, the Deleware bankruptcy court where the filing took place, gave Peterson permission to secure post-petition financing to keep operating.

The Taylorville Chamber of Commerce welcomed a new member to the Chamber on Friday.  Burton’s Tap held their ribbon cutting for joining on Friday afternoon. Burton’s Tap is owned by Steve and Lisa Cline.  They also announced they will have a special celebration on March 30th to celebrate the Cline’s two year ownership of Burton’s.  

Linda Allen is the Executive Director for the Greater Taylorville Chamber of Commerce and says Burton’s has something for everyone including some delicious pizza.

Steve and Lisa Cline are retired and took over this venture post-retirement.

We here at Regional Radio News congratulate Steve and Lisa on joining the chamber and invite everyone to join them on March 30th. For more information visit their Facebook page. 

The Taste of Extension will be returning to Montgomery County this spring, providing programs, activities, and more that give community members a chance to see all that the University of Illinois Extension offers.

The event will appear on Friday, April 19th with activities and programs beginning at 4:30 p.m. Andrew Holsinger, a Horticulture Educator for the University of Illinois Extension describes the Grow Together Program, where parents and their children can learn the basics of gardening.

The familiar names of Lisa Peterson and Valerie Belusko, U of I Extension Educators, will present the Cooking Up Success class.

Information about the 4-H program, yearly events, and important details will be available during the Taste of Extension.

The Montgomery County Extension Office is located at 1 Industrial Park Drive in Hillsboro.

Find more information and registration at go.illinois.edu/tasteofextension.

Andrew Holsinger appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.
 

Student celebrations have become popular in the Central A&M School district, as high school to elementary school students are being recognized for their accomplishments.

Sacha Young, Superintendent for Central A&M School District, began with two high school students who created a documentary for C-SPAN’s yearly StudentCam Competition. The students placed high enough for their video to premier on the C-SPAN website and to win $750.

The 5th graders were challenged in the field of creating a Rube Goldberg experiment where the simple task to complete was taking a piece of toast out of a toaster. The young students went to competition with their machine and found success in Decatur.

The busy FFA Team at Central A&M High School found success at a recent poultry judging competition as well.

This is Sacha Young’s first year as Superintendent of the Central A&M School District and she says she could not be more proud of the students and staff that make education fun and engaging creating more passionate learners.

Sacha Young appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.

The Taylorville Park Board is set to meet Monday at 7 PM at the Manners Park Dining Hall in Taylorville. They will discuss the pool project and go over the shutdown at Manners Park. They will adopt the budget for fiscal year 2024/2025, as well as hear from the Maintenance Superintendent and the Recreation Director. 

There will also be an approval of minutes, as well as the treasurer's report. Stay tuned to regional radio news following the conclusion of tonight's meeting.
 

The Memorial Health Board of Directors has greenlit a succession plan aimed at ensuring seamless leadership continuity within the nonprofit health system. Effective July 1, 2024, Ed Curtis, the current President and CEO, will assume the position of Memorial Health CEO. Kevin England, currently serving as Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer, will step into the role of Memorial Health President. This move marks a strategic step to prepare for Curtis' eventual retirement, as England is slated to take over as President and CEO within a year.

Curtis expressed confidence in the plan, focusing on Memorial Health's commitment to stable and continuous leadership throughout its history. He looks forward to collaborating with England to uphold the organization's mission for years to come. England 35 years of service with Memorial Health under his belt, bringing a wealth of experience to his new position. Having held various roles within the organization, including overseeing clinical areas and business development functions, England is well-prepared for his expanded responsibilities.

In response to his appointment, England highlighted the challenges facing the healthcare landscape and confirmed Memorial Health's readiness to address them. He expressed gratitude for the opportunity to carry forward the tradition of strong leadership that Memorial Health values. Michael Aiello, Chair of the Memorial Health Board of Directors, commended England's dedication to the organization and its communities.

Memorial Health operates five hospitals across Decatur, Jacksonville, Lincoln, Springfield, and Taylorville, along with numerous primary care, urgent care, and specialty care clinics, as well as behavioral health and home health services. Memorial Health serves over 500,000 individuals across a 10-county region in central Illinois.

The Christian County CEO Board on Friday announced it will be starting a 2nd CEO class time next school year, each weekday afternoon from 2 til 3:30 due to the high number of students that have applied.

Board members agreed that with the increased interest, a 2nd class in the afternoon next school year will make it easier for more students to participate in the program that teaches high school seniors business and entrepreneurial skills.   The program is totally funded by contributions from local businesses and individuals.

As a result of adding a 2nd class time for next school year, the application process for Christian County high school seniors, has been extended 2 weeks.   The on-line application form can be accessed on the Christian County CEO web site by clicking HERE.

The Illinois Department of Transportation announced today that the reconstruction of westbound Interstate 70 from just east of the I-57/70 interchange to just east of the Cumberland/Effingham County line, east of Montrose, will begin, weather permitting, Tuesday, April 9. The project will include several new safety features this year and a start date timed to not interfere with the April 8 solar eclipse that is anticipated to bring large crowds to the southern part of the state.

Tree trimming already has been taking place in recent weeks. Starting this week, shoulder closures and intermittent lane closures in the eastbound lanes will be necessary to place traffic control devices in preparation for the project. Once the work zone is established starting April 9, traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction on the eastbound lanes rebuilt last year, separated by the barrier walls, while the westbound lanes are reconstructed.

The work zone will include several new safety elements. They include extra dynamic message signs posted in advance of the northbound and eastbound I-57/70 split, helping to move I-57 traffic to the left lane. Temporary rumble strips will be installed prior to the work zone and through it to help keep drivers alert. Illinois State Police will have an enhanced presence throughout this construction season, checking for distracted driving, speeding, and other traffic offenses.

In recent weeks, IDOT has met and coordinated with local police and fire departments in Effingham County to advise them on other safety elements added at their request, including pull-off locations in the work zone to respond to vehicle breakdowns or crashes. The group also discussed the most efficient method to access the work zone when crashes or other emergencies occur as well as other logistical details aimed at keeping the public safe.

Until the project is complete this fall, backups and congestion approaching the work zone should be anticipated at all times. Drivers are urged to slow down, put down their phones and devices, avoid all distractions, and watch for workers and equipment as well as give their undivided attention to traffic control signs and changing conditions in and around the work zone.

As part of the Rebuild Illinois capital program, the overall $50 million improvement on I-70 includes the reconstruction of 7 miles in both directions, including the replacement of the eastbound and westbound bridges over the Montrose Blacktop.

Over the next six years, IDOT is planning to improve more than 3,000 miles of highway and nearly 10 million square feet of bridge deck as part of the Rebuild Illinois capital program, which is investing $33.2 billion into all modes of transportation. Accomplishments through Year Four of Rebuild Illinois included approximately $12.1 billion of improvements statewide on 5,339 miles of highway, 533 bridges, and 762 additional safety improvements.

For IDOT District 7 updates, follow us on Twitter at @IDOTDistrict7 or sign up to receive email alerts from IDOT in Motion. You also can follow IDOT on Facebook.

 The Illinois Firearm Restraining Order has been in effect since 2019 and the Christian County Sheriff's Office is making it clear that the order is not a gun grab, but rather a safety feature for people battling mental health episodes.

Chief Deputy Jim Baker of the Christian County Sheriff’s Office explains the judicial side of the process and the temporary nature of the firearm seizure.

A clear and present danger is a term used to describe people struggling through a mental health episode says Chief Deputy Baker. There is language determining who the firearm can be transferred to during the process which usually involves a close family member.

Chief Deputy Baker describes an instance where the Firearm Restraining Order worked well, as family members followed the proper steps of reaching out to either the Christian County Sheriff's Office or the circuit court in the corresponding county.

The Christian County Sheriff’s Office can be reached by calling, 217-824-4961.

Chief Deputy Jim Baker appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.

National Agriculture Week has been successful in counties across Illinois and Cruisin' 98.3 WSVZ ventured to the Shelby County 4-H Fair Grounds for the Young Farmers Farm City Breakfast. Many local agriculture voices were on hand and WSVZ got a chance to sit down and find out more about the progressions of agriculture.

Kevin Bernson, Vice President of Media and Public Relations for Shelby Electric Cooperative says that only 75% of farms in Shelby County have internet access. Bernson and Shelby Electric look to provide more broadband services for these farmers.

Helping rural farmers is at the core of values for Shelby Electric, says Faith Wheeler, a Member Service Specialist.

Kevin Bernson explains the Rural Electrification Administration and how its history has brought Shelby Electric into the position they are in today.

As National Ag Week concludes, information about rural farms in Central Illinois, their benefit to the community, and how their operations are being aided were all made more clear.

Visit shelbyelectric.coop for more information about electricity and rural farms in Central Illinois.

Taylorville Junior High is recognizing their February recipients of the teacher of the month and staff of the month for February. Mrs. Jean Ninmer earned the honor of Teacher of the Month.  This is her second recognition as a Teacher of the Month/Red Apple recipient. Mrs. Ninmer is in her last year as the band/choir director at TJHS and she is recognized for her excellence in the field of education. She says that teaching is her calling, "I use teaching to encourage others to join in a common goal and to treat others well." One of her many fond memories occurred when "a struggling student finally played a musical passage beautifully. The whole band applauded spontaneously in a show of encouragement and support!"  

Congratulations to the support staff member of the month at TJHS, Mrs. Tammy Reindl. Mrs. Reindl works collaboratively with the teaching staff to integrate technology with lessons in a meaningful and impactful manner. Her nominator says her ability to find creative ways to enhance learning experiences at TJHS by making them as engaging as possible is her strength. Mrs. Reindl also helps with all of the testing windows, coordinates with student services, and splits her time to serve at Taylorville High School as well. One of her fondest memories occurred when she witnessed the intense reactions as students used the Oculus "VR" to go into space or explore the Titanic. One student even threw the goggles off because he was drifting in space." 

Regional Radio News salutes both Jean and Tammy for their hard work in support of the students and education.

An issue with the voting machines on election night has caused some votes to be counted by hand which has resulted in a change in one of the results that Regional Radio News thought was complete.  When Regional Radio News had finished up on Tuesday evening around 11 PM, 96% of the polls had been counted other than “South Fork #2”  After receiving the results on Wednesday, the county board results were as follows.  Each district selected the top two: 

District 1: Venice McWard 507 (44.09%), Clint E. Gabriel 361 (31.39%), and Glen F. Goodrich Jr. (24.52%).  

District 2: Kenneth G. Franklin 389 (34.7%), Mark Wolfe II 368 (32.83%), and Thomas Snyder Jr. 364 (32.47%)

District 3: David Buckles 475 (40.32%), Michael T. Specha 421 (35.74%), and Thomas Snyder Sr. 282 (23.94%)

We apologize for any issues or confusion with this. These results are still unofficial. For any questions or issues, please contact the WTIM Newsroom at 217-824-3395 Ext. 7. 

A traffic crash outside Assumption has sent four to the hospital including two children. The crash occurred on US RT 51 and Assumption at the intersection of East Leafland St. (1200 North) on Wednesday night around 6:40 PM.  A driver of a Ford Escape struck a Ford truck.  The driver of the Escape was a 28-year-old from Terre Haute who was transported to the hospital with injuries.  The passengers were a one-year-old and a six-year-old, from Taylorville.  They were also taken to the hospital with injuries.  

The driver of the Ford truck, a 37-year-old from Moweaqua was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.  A ticket was issued to the driver of the Escape for Failure to Yield.  Stay tuned to Regional Radio News, if any other information becomes available. 
 

Pana Junior High has released their 3rd Quarter Honor Roll.  Congrats to all recipients.  To see the full list click here. 

The March 19th Primary featured tight races and many contested positions, but one Illinois Senator says now that campaigning is done it is time to begin working together as legislators for the State of Illinois. Illinois State Senator Steve McClure, representing the 54th District, says returning to normal political operations in the wake of a primary can be difficult, as some members allow past support or lack thereof to dictate their decision-making.

Senator McClure spoke on “ugly political races” explaining that these campaigns showcased negative tactics to gain votes.

Voter turnout saw lows across the state and Senator McClure ultimately attributes that to the straightforward results of the presidential races. McClure says that low voter turnout is an aspect that he and other legislators look to address.

More information about Senator McClure can be found at, senatormcclure.com.

Senator McClure appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.

The Christian County Sheriff's Office is investigating a crash just outside Assumption. According to the Christian County Sheriff's Office, US RT 51 and Assumption at the intersection of East Leafland St. (1200 North)  is closed. The northbound lanes have been closed until further notice for a traffic crash investigation.

The Christian County Board met Wednesday evening at 6:30 for a regular meeting at the Christian County Courthouse. All members of the board were present with the exception of Dave Puccetti. 

It was a busy night for appointments. The 708 Mental Health Board was considered for reappointing Pat Schneider and Jeff Waterman, both were reappointed with unanimous approval. Adrian Adcock was appointed as the Chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals with all board members voting yes. And for the CC Health Board, Dr. Ben Sowle was appointed unanimously. 

Under Highway, Building, and Grounds, Erin Domonousky’s request to use the courthouse lawn for April’s Turn Our Town Teal Event with the Praire Center Against Sexual Assault was passed with unanimous support from the board. 

A report was given by Blake Smethers, a System Developer, concerning a special use permit for the Skyline Solar Building Project and the road use agreement, which was carried through the board 10-5.

Chief Deputy Jim Baker provided a presentation for introducing keyless entries to the CC Courthouse. The goal of this change is to simplify and fortify the courthouse employees' entrances and exits to specific departments. This request was motioned to move to the Highway Building and Grounds Committee and was passed by the board.

A consideration was presented to expand water testing to include soil testing reimbursement within a half-mile radius of the Ameren Excavation Site from the previously approved expense limit of $2,000. Board Chairman, Bryan Sharp explained that residents within a half-mile radius of the Ameren remediation site who want well-water tested must pay the initial fee for the assessment and then bring a receipt for reimbursement. The motion to add soil testing passed unanimously. 

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency is holding a public hearing on March 26th at 6:00 p.m. at Lincoln Land Community College to answer general questions about the Ameren remediation site. 

The next Christian County Board meeting is set for April 16th, 2024.

While the focus was heavy on county action during last night's primary, there were quite a few statewide or multicounty elections that were taking place including wins by State Representative Brad Halbrook and Dennis Atteberry defeating Judge Doug Gruenke in the Appellate court for the fourth judicial circuit.  

Brad Halbrook defeated Marsha Webb in the 107th District Representative race.  Representative Halbrook spoke on the reelection campaign saying he was honored by the voter's trust and he strongly believes in safeguarding freedoms to ensure a prosperous future for Illinois. 

Representative Halbrook focused on a record of conservatism and advancing conservative policies.  He says that he is committed to conservative values, fiscal responsibilities, and the protection of constitutional rights.  

Brad Halbrook is the State Representative for the 107th district.  For more information visit www.bradhalbrook.com

Dennis Atteberry defeated Judge Douglas Gruenke 13,924-13,277. In Christian County Atteberry got 65% of the votes. In Shelby County, he received 66% of the vote.  In Montgomery County Atteberry held 59% of the votes.  In Effingham County, Atteberry secured 53% of the vote.  

Again, low turnout plagued the primaries.  In Montgomery County, 20% of registered voters, voted. In Christian County, about 18.6% voted and in Shelby County, 35% voted. 

Stay tuned to Regional Radio News for all the latest on the election results.

 The Christian County Farm Bureau is playing host to many different groups like local farmers and young people with an interest in agriculture. Mathew Heberling, President of the Christian County Farm Bureau, says the winter meeting sessions went well and the Young Leaders group is preparing for an eventful summer.

The Tractor Drive initiative garners funds for scholarship opportunities and for the popular educational program “Ag in the Classroom”.

As agriculture remains a dominant market in the State of Illinois, Heberling notes that outreach and awareness are the focus to attain a knowledgeable and passionate workforce. Heberling calls the farm bureau the voice of local farmers, staying current on the latest legislation and proposals.

To get involved in the Tractor Drive initiative for sponsorship or participation, call Christian County Farm Bureau at 217-824-2940.

Local farming and agriculture efforts are being highlighted this week during National Agriculture Week. WTIM got a chance to sit down with area agriculturally minded people to understand the processes that are being focused on in the present day of farming and ag.

Nathan Rogers, Marketing Manager for Central Commodity FS, explained his thought process as the planting and growing seasons approach.

Significant changes in temperature could present problems for central Illinois farmers as the focus remains on ground temperature.

Rogers speaks on a core purpose of Central Commodity FS, helping farmers understand the current growing cycle by taking in data from other farmers and creating an estimated outlook.

To learn more about the services offered by Central Commodity FS, visit their website at www.centralcommodityfs.com.

Christian County saw many contested races in the March primary on the 19th. 

The County is still waiting on one precinct to report but 96% of the results are in.  Voter turnout was fairly low with a little under 3,000 people in the county voting or 2.1% of the registered voters. 

On the Republican ballot, Donald J. Trump secured the nomination for the Republican Party. 

Three seats were up for grabs for Delegate to the National Nomination of the 15th Congressional District, winning was Mary E. Miller-1973, William J. Graff-1722, and Joseph D. Alexander-1717.

Three seats were also available for the Alternate Delegate to the National Nomination of the 15th Congressional District, Winning were, Chris G. Miller-1864, Steven R. Drake-1848, Mechtild Kosin-1700.

Brad Halbrook wins in Christian County over Marsha Webb in the 107th District 1302-322.

Jeffrey A. Voorhees defeated Jessica Franks 1717-664.

In County board elections Venise McWard and Clint Gabriel won over Glen Goodrich in District 1.  In District 2, Ken Franklin and Thomas Snyder Jr. defeated Mark Wolfe II.  In District 3, David Buckles and Mike Specha defeated Thomas Snyder Sr. 

In the 4th Judicial Circuit Dennis Atteberry defeated Doug Gruenke 1449-782. 

Stay tuned to Regional Radio News for the latest election result coverage. 

Shelby County saw many contested races in the March primary on the 19th. 

On the Republican ballot, Donald J. Trump secured the nomination for the Republican Party. 

Three seats were up for grabs for Delegate to the National Nomination of the 15th Congressional District, winning was Mary E. Miller (3239), William J. Graff (2624), and Joseph D. Alexander(2585).

Three seats were also available for the Alternate Delegate to the National Nomination of the 15th Congressional District, Winning were, Chris G. Miller (2907), Steven R. Drake (2786), and Mechtild Kosin(2502).

Marsha Webb takes the position of General Assembly Representative of the 107th district, defeating Incumbent Brad Halbrook(2273-1918).

Dennis Atteberry secured the 4th Judicial Circuit Judge over Douglas C. Gruenke (2301-1197)

Brad Phegley won the Coroner position over Richard A. Moon (2549-1461).

In the Shelby County Board races, in District 4 Christy A. Wafford won over Clark Amling (176-169). In District 5, Larry D. Syfert won over Annette Martin (210-137). In District 7, Robert C. Orman won over Tricia Faye Miller (207-140). In District 8, Christine L. Matlock won over Mitchell Shuff (335-155). In District 9, Gene Price won over Cody Brands (338-140). In District 10, Jeff B. Gregg won over Martha Fernhaber (366-142). And in District 11, Carol Cole won over Nick Fiala (225-90). 

Jacob Cole secured the Precinct Committee person for Shelbyville over Nick Fiala (106-30).

The Republican Proposition to dissolve the Lake Mattoon Public Water District Passed.

On the Democratic ballot, Joseph R Biden Jr. secured the nomination for the Democratic Party.

Crystal J. Eilers was selected over James Caputo (20-5) for the Precinct Committee Person for Tower Hill. 

Illinois Primary Elections Results Unveiled with Contested Races in Montgomery County

The Illinois Primary Elections in Montgomery County showcased numerous contested races, revealing key victories and nominations across party lines.

Joe Biden clinched the Democratic Party nomination for President, securing 87.66% of the vote.

Donald Trump emerged victorious in the Republican Party, securing the nomination for President with 87.53% of the vote.

Mary E. Miller, William J. Graff, and Joseph D. Alexander were selected as delegates for the Republican Party.

In the alternate delegate race, Steven R. Drake, Mechtild Kosin, and Chris G. Miller emerged as the chosen candidates.

District 110 witnessed Blaine Wilhour defeating Matthew T. Hall with an 87-20 margin.

Brad Halbrook secured victory in District 107 defeating Marsha Webb with a vote tally of 267-75.

Keith E. Hancock won the County Board race in District 2, defeating Kenneth Folkerts by a margin of 209-126.

Randy Leetham emerged victorious in the County Coroner race, garnering 1,815 votes against Talon R. Burton's 485 votes.

In the 4th Judicial Circuit Court contest, Dennis Roy Atteberry won over Douglas C. Gruenke with a vote count of 1,255-854.

The proposition to allow golf carts in Litchfield faced a close vote but ultimately failed, with 532 votes against and 499 votes in favor.

Stay tuned to Regional Radio News for updates. 
 

The Taylorville Kiwanis Club heard about the Taylorville Sports Hall of Fame, at their weekly meeting on Tuesday at the Taylorville Moose Lodge.  

Program speaker was David Hixenbaugh, chairman of the Taylorville Sports Hall of Fame Committee.   Hixenbaugh shared with Kiwanis members that he along with a group of other interested parties started the Hall of Fame and the first class was inducted in 1995. The group was organized to recognize the contribution of individuals and teams.

Hixenbaugh added that athletics play an important role in the memories and traditions of small towns everywhere and need to be shared and celebrated.

      The Sports Hall of Fame chair told stories from the 1928 football team, and the 1944 class which won all its regular season games in football, basketball and baseball. The basketball team won the State Tournament that year with a perfect 45-0 record.  

       Hixenbaugh went on to share with Kiwanis members that he coached the first Girls basketball team in 1979.

The public is reminded of the 75th annual community Easter Egg Hunt that the Kiwanis Club will again be a sponsor of; the April 6th Kiwanis Park Clean-Up Day from 9 til noon; and the Kiwanis Pancake and Sausage Breakfast Saturday, April 27th at the Moose Lodge which is one of the club’s biggest fund-raisers to assist children and youth in the community.

The Taylorville Kiwanis Club is part of a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time.  Weekly meetings are held Tuesdays at noon at the Taylorville Moose Lodge.  For information on the club, go to taylorvillekiwanis.com.

While it feels that it is a given, Regional Radio News has confirmed that a Sonic is coming to Taylorville.  Authorities say that a Sonic will be built in Taylorville and Charleston and both buildings are expected to be complete by this Summer. Brent Reams, PR Manager, with Sonic, confirmed this and further information is expected to be released soon. 

Primary elections are today and aside from picking the presidential nominee for your respective party, there are other elections to watch in the area.  In Christian County, Jessica Franks and Jeffrey A. Voorhees are running for the nomination for Circuit Clerk 4 year term. In County Board District 1, 4 yr term—Glen F. Goodrich Jr., Venise DeVore McWard, and Clint E. Gabriel. In County Board District 2, 4 yr term—Mark Wolfe II, Thomas Snyder, Jr., and Kenneth G. Franklin. In County Board District 3, 4 yr term—Michael Specha, David Buckles, and Thomas Snyder, Jr..  Richard A. Moon and Brad Phegley are both running for the Republican nomination for Coroner.

In other Christian County Races, Dennis Atteberry (of Taylorville) and Judge Douglas Gruenke (of New Baden) are running for the Republican nomination for 4th District Circuit Judge.  Results will come from a BUNCH of counties from Christian and Shelby Counties and south. Incumbent Brad Halbrook of Shelbyville is being challenged in the Republican nomination for 107th District State Rep, by challenger Marsha Webb of Boody. Incumbent Blane Wilhour of Altamont is being challenged in the Republican nomination for 110th District State Rep, by Matt Hall of Vandalia.

The newly constructed Jack Flash truck Stop in Pana is gearing up for a grand opening celebration on Friday, March 22. Prizes, samples, and giveaways will be on hand the day of the celebration and a new addition to the top of the building will be unveiled.

Nick Wortman, a Project Representative for Jack Flash, talks about the many vendors that will be on location on Friday and that these vendors can be found inside the new truck stop.

Wortman thanks the City of Pana and its residents for the great response to Jack Flash.

Staffing a brand new business comes with challenges, Wortman says great leadership from the store and kitchen managers made operations smooth in the early life of Jack Flash.

For updates and information concerning the Jack Flash Grand Opening Celebration this Friday, visit their Facebook page at Jack Flash Pana.

Nick Wortman appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show live from the Peoples Bank and Trust lobby in Downtown Pana.

The THS Band and THS Track team were recognized at the bimonthly Taylorville City Council Meeting on Monday evening. Multiple band and track team members were recognized at the meeting as Taylorville Mayor Bruce Barry praised them for their hard work and dedication to their craft.  The band members were given March 18th as their day.

Mayor Barry also praised the Track team including Liam Bettis and Owen Morgan as well, announcing March 19th and March 20th, their day for breaking school records. 

All motions put in front of the board passed for committee reports, except for a motion concerning the bent flag pole at the Cemetery—that motion was tabled. Under planning commission recommendations, the council approved a motion for rezoning for 601 N. Webster, 301 N. Elevator, and the Salisbury Minor Subdivision.  They also approved a Special Use Permit for an unmanned building at 803 East Franklin for Computer Techniques. 

Mayor Barry says the city is looking for additional revenue as the city leans heavily on the grocery tax which may be going away. 

The council did go into a closed session.  Mayor Barry feels they are close to negotiations for city and police employees. The next city council meeting is set for April 1st. 
 

The Macon County Conservation District will be offering two different opportunities to experience the 2024 solar eclipse. There will be a Solar Eclipse Party as well as a van trip to SIU’s Eclipse Day.

On Monday, April 8, there will be a Solar Eclipse Party at the Rock Springs Conservation Area from 12-3:30 pm. Join our naturalists to learn about eclipses, look at the sun through our telescope, and view the solar eclipse with an estimated 97% coverage. Limited quantities of eclipse-viewing glasses will be available for free until supplies run out. Refreshments will be served, and crafts will be available for children. This event is free and no registration is required.

Also on Monday, April 8, there will be a van trip to SIU’s Eclipse Day from 7:30 am-6 pm. Venture to Carbondale’s Southern Illinois University to experience Eclipse Day at Saluki Stadium. Activities include eclipse-viewing, experts on hand to interpret the eclipse, a documentary, and more. Eclipse-viewing glasses will be provided by SIU. $60/person covers admission, transportation, and parking. Register online at MaconCountyConservation.org by April 5.

Rock Springs Conservation Area is located on the southwestern edge of Decatur.  To get to Rock Springs from Decatur, go south on Route 48 and turn west onto Rock Springs Road, or go south on Wyckles Road and turn east onto Rock Springs Road.  Watch for signs. Plenty of parking is available.
 

Authorities say one man was found dead at his residence in Edinburg on Friday. The person identified was 51-year-old Kristen L. Ostermeier. EMS arrived on the scene at 3:09 P.M. concerning an unresponsive male. In a release sent by Amy Calvert Winans, Christian County Coroner, an autopsy was completed on Saturday and the results pend toxicology.

This investigation is being handled by the Illinois State Police Zone 4 and the Christian County Coroners Office. Assisting at the scene were Kincaid Police and Edinburgh Fire and EMS.

Stay tuned to Regional Radio News for updates on this investigation as it becomes available.
 

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy – also known as DMD – is a rare disorder, but severe if not caught early enough to be treated. State Senator Julie Morrison introduced a bill that would require all newborns to be screened for DMD.

By the time the symptoms of DMD are detected, it is typically too late to treat. Additionally, it takes 2.5 years on average to diagnose after caregivers first notice symptoms – giving children little to no time to receive help. Senate Bill 2658 would require each newborn to be screened for the disease, giving those diagnosed the ability to receive effective treatment.

Senate Bill 2658 passed the Senate Public Health Committee on Tuesday and moved to the full Senate for further consideration. 

Lake Shelbyville Fish Habitat Alliance in conjunction with the United States Army Corps of Engineers and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources are searching for volunteers to aid in bundling and placing Christmas trees into boats, to create new fish habitats in Lake Shelbyville. Those bundles of trees will then be placed strategically in the lake for new fish habitats. 

Volunteers will meet at the Opossum Creek Recreation Area boat ramp parking lot on Saturday, March 23rd at 8:30 a.m. 

Following the event, maps detailing the exact GPS locations of the artificial structures will be available at local businesses for 60 days. Subsequently, they can be accessed from the LSHA Facebook page and the USACE Lake Shelbyville website. Additionally, all participants will receive aerial maps with coordinates pinpointing the placement of the Christmas trees, serving as a valuable reference for future fishing endeavors.

It's important to note that maps of the Christmas tree locations will not be distributed to the general public. Individuals interested in obtaining these maps are encouraged to participate in the Fish Habitat Improvement Day.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers extends gratitude to the surrounding communities for their support in this endeavor. For further information on the project or if planning to bring a boat, interested parties can contact Natural Resources Specialist Cory Donnel at (217) 774-3951, ext. 7001.

Proper phone etiquette has grown into a valuable skill that employers are looking for, but the younger generations are having a tough time handling these business-like conversations. Valerie Belusko, Community and Economic Development Educator for the University of Illinois Extension, attributes this failure in phone etiquette to the lack of landline phones that remain in family homes.

As most business settings continue to rely on landline phones, communication skills and tactics for that channel are still very relevant says Belusko.

Belusko provides some of the tips that are involved in her programming to ensure students have a better understanding of how they should be sounding over the phone.

For Community and Economic Education programming contact Valerie Belusko at 217-532-3941.

Valerie Belusko appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.
 

In a bid to combat the severe impact of cancer, State Senator Julie Morrison has introduced a new measure aimed at expanding insurance coverage for preventative cancer screenings and genetic testing. Under Senate Bill 2697, individuals with a family history of cancer would have access to crucial preventive measures without financial barriers.

Morrison 1                    Key                    LENGT: 40

Senator Morrison, an advocate for cancer prevention, spoke on the significance of early detection in improving survival rates and reducing healthcare costs. The proposed legislation seeks to broaden coverage beyond age-based requirements, ensuring that all types of cancer prevention and susceptibility screenings are included.

The bill illustrates the importance of prioritizing prevention strategies, citing early screenings and genetic testing as key components in saving lives. By mandating insurance coverage for these essential services, lawmakers aim to strengthen individuals to take proactive steps in managing their health.

Senate Bill 2697 has already made significant progress, clearing the Senate Insurance Committee and advancing to the full Senate for further deliberation. If passed, the legislation could serve as an advancement in the ongoing battle against cancer, offering hope for improved outcomes and reduced mortality rates.

Taylorville City Council is set to meet this evening at 7 PM at the Taylorville Municipal Building for their second March meeting of the month. Both THS Band and Track will be recognized along with accepting the gift of property at 305 E. Poplar Street, easement agreements, and accepting the proposal for construction of Drainage Improvements and the Turn Our Town Teal Event for April.  

The council will look at some planning commission recommendations, city attorney and mayor updates, and then jump into committee reports. The council will look at approving, denying, or tabling: a new fire hose, a new tornado siren computer, a billboard advertisement spot on Route 29, a K9 and training, a new computer for the Cellebrite Program, Vehicle striping, and helmet cameras.  Some positions will be looked at for advertising, the Blackhorse Pow Wow will be discussed, along with a motion to remove the bent flag pole from the cemetery. 

To see the full agenda click here. Stay tuned to Regional Radio News for more following the conclusion of this event. 

The National Weather Service in Lincoln has released more details on last week’s severe weather.

The Weather Service says a strong low pressure system brought three rounds of thunderstorms to central and southeast Illinois between Wednesday night, March 13th and Thursday evening, March 14th. The first round arrived late Wednesday evening of March 13 when a warm front lifted north through the area. The storms produced large to very large hail in central and eastern Illinois, with golf ball size hail one-and-three-quarter inch reported south of Mattoon. 

The Weather Service added a line of storms brought another round of severe weather on Thursday morning. Strong winds and sporadic large hail were the primary hazards reported with this round. 

And, the third and final wave of storms occurred late Thursday afternoon and evening of March 14th, with several discrete supercells producing significant hail, damaging winds, and a few funnel clouds. The largest hail from the event occurred in Nortinville in Morgan County where a handful of significant hailstones measured 2 to 4 inches in diameter.  

2 tornadoes were reported by the Weather Service just east of Interstate 55 and west of Pawnee Thursday night, and a funnel cloud was sighted near Neoga.

The Weather Services’ Storm Reports Map showed this damage in the Regional Radio listening area Thursday night:
At 5:04, one-inch hail fell in Pawnee.
At 5:15, thunderstorm wind damage was reported in Kincaid.  
At 5:24, one-and-a-quarter inch hail fell in Taylorville, and at 5:32 that same size hail fell in rural Assumption.  
At 5:50, 2-inch diameter hail fell in Litchfield.
At 5:55, thunderstorm wind damage was reported in Findlay, and at 6:14 one-inch hail was reported north of Windsor.
Also at 5:55, one-and-a-quarter inch hail fell in Oconee and at 5:53, one-and-a-half inch hail fell just down the road in Ramsey.

Taylorville City Officials tell Regional Radio News that a development group has filed plans to build a stand-alone Starbucks coffee shop on the city’s northwest side.

The proposed location according to plans submitted to the city, is next to the present Steak and Shake along Illinois Route 29.

Regional Radio News reached out to Craig Kiser who filed the plans, but he didn’t have any comment.

A proposed Starbucks has been rumored to be built at that location, for over a year.

Two people are dead after a murder-suicide on Friday evening in Nokomis.  Nokomis police are investigating a shooting that happened at the Dollar General, when authorities say a 47-year-old male shot a 22-year-old female employee.  According to officials, the male was the female’s estranged boyfriend. The male then turned the gun on himself.  He died later at a hospital in Springfield.  No names have been released in this situation as of yet.  Stay tuned to Regional Radio News for more on this story as it becomes available. 
 

The Christian County Agricultural Fair will be celebrating its 100th anniversary this summer and organizers could not be more excited for the action-packed week of live music, grandstand events, pageants, and community engagement. The Christian County Fair dates are July 16th through the 24th at the Christian County Fair Grounds.

The announcement has been made for the headlining musicians at this year's CC Fair. Angela Ohl-Marsters, Marketing and Promotions Director for the fair says tickets are on sale now for Country Music Stars Rodney Atkins, who has six #1 singles and was named Top New Male Vocalist in 2009, and Allie Colleen, a popular, up-and-coming singer and songwriter.

Rodney Atkins and Allie Colleen will perform on the same night on Friday, July 19th, at 7:30 p.m.

Larry Budd, Treasurer for the Christian County Fair says tickets for both the grandstand and the track will be available.

Ohl-Marsters assures that all other classic fair events will continue for the 100th year, like the demolition derby, truck and tractor pulls, carnival games and rides, and more.

Tickets can be found and purchased at christiancountyfair.com.

Angela Ohl-Marsters and Larry Budd appeared as guests on the WTIM Morning Show.
 

Yesterday morning's severe weather produced multiple tornado warnings across the Regional Radio News listening area. High winds, strong precipitation, and signs of substantial sizes of hail swept heavily across Christian, Montgomery, Shelby, and Fayette Counties.

Ed Shimon, a Warning Coordination Meteorologist for the National Weather Service, confirms that no damage from hail or wind was reported to the National Weather Service and there were no sightings of a tornado touching down.

Check out Regional Radio News and Listen to WTIM for all of the latest updates.

The Regional Radio News area was impacted by severe weather on Thursday evening. A tornado warning was first issued at 4:38 by the National Weather Service in Lincoln for Sangamon County. The storm continued moving south-southeast into Christian County. 

Christian County Emergency Management Agency Director Jeff Stoner informed the Regional Radio News listeners during our severe weather coverage about the storms that had occurred in the area.

According to Stoner, there was an area of rotation located one mile south of Taylorville that did not touch down. 

There was localized flooding reported in the Taylorville area.

Check out Taylorvilledailynews.com and Listen to WTIM for all of the latest updates.
 

Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS) was recently awarded a Healing Illinois grant to foster discussion between central Illinois community members and healthcare professionals around equity in health care.

Healing Illinois is an initiative led by the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) and the Field Foundation of Illinois. Statewide, 184 recipients will receive $4.5 million in funding for community-based activities to advance racial healing. In Central Illinois, this grant is awarded by the United Way of Central Illinois. Last month, HSHS announced that it also received a Healing Illinois grant to support a speaker series in Southern Illinois.

The HSHS grant project entitled, “Revealing and Embodying Racial Healing for All People: Healing Central Illinois," will have discussions between community members and HSHS colleagues to advance racial healing. The Healing Illinois grant project in Central Illinois will remember the 1908 Springfield Race Riots and the role of the Hospital Sisters at St. John’s Hospital in offering care for all people regardless of race. 

Invited HSHS colleagues and community members will participate in two, day-long programs in the weeks leading up to Juneteenth. HSHS colleagues from HSHS St. John’s Hospital in Springfield and its affiliated hospitals, including HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital in Decatur, HSHS St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital in Effingham, HSHS St. Francis Hospital in Litchfield and HSHS Good Shepherd Hospital in Shelbyville, will be participating in this program.

For more information about HSHS, visit hshs.org.

The stigma around mental health continues to improve, and people have been more willing to seek treatment.  However, questions still abound as to what medicine to take, what works well, and it gets even harder for women who are pregnant.  

Sarah Shoemaker, a certified nurse midwife at OSF Healthcare says that you are not alone.  1 in 5 women experiences a mental health concern during pregnancy, and many women are taking medication for things like anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder.  Shoemaker says most of the time, you can and actually should stay on your medication, but have that conversation with your doctor. 

Shoemaker encourages women to not wait until they’re pregnant to talk to their doctor. She says don’t change or stop your medicine routine until you have that talk. While you may have your child’s interest at heart, a change could cause problems.

With that being said, Shoemaker says to not rely solely on your own research. A provider may order one or more ultrasounds before making decisions on medicine.  If a provider says a change is needed, you could go on a supplement.  A medicine like valproic acid may increase the risk of neural tube defects in your unborn child.  Spina bifida is a common neural tube defect and a provider may advise adding a folic acid supplement at a high dose.  For medicine, like valproic acid, drugmakers, and doctors are vocal up front saying, don’t start taking it if you’re trying to get pregnant, that way you don’t have to make a change mid-pregnancy.  

If you are on a new medication that’s new to the market, talk about it with your provider.  According to Shoemaker, scientists typically don’t do intense studies on pregnant women so they don’t disrupt the pregnancy, rather research is done after birth. 

Shoemaker admits that this can be a tough task but there are tried-and-true ways to get to the root of a pregnant woman’s mental health concerns.  Shoemaker says don’t be afraid to ask a lot of questions.

Make sure to speak to your primary care physician concerning any mental health concerns. 
 

To increase public safety, State Senator Doris Turner is sponsoring a measure that would suspend EMS professionals who have been charged with a crime while performing their duties. Senator Turner says it’s all about people’s safety and trusting those who respond to take care of us. 

Senate Bill 3134 would allow the director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, or their designee, to determine if the suspension of an EMS professional should extend statewide. This would apply in situations when an EMS professional has been charged with a crime while performing their official duties and continuing to practice poses the possibility of harm to the public.

The current suspension system has the potential to put the public at risk while an EMS professional's investigation regarding their suspension is conducted — the individual can continue to work within other EMS systems outside of the one they are suspended from.

Senator Turner says that this will remove bad actors and those who may cause harm to the public to keep them working across the state.

Senate Bill 3134 passed the Senate Public Health Committee and heads to the full Senate.

The Taylorville Square is adding a new business as Matt Corso announces the opening of Kaufman Realty and Auctions, located at 121 South Washington Street, right above Anderson Jewelers. Corso has been in the realty and auctioneer fields for over 20 years and is happy to be providing these services for the community.
Corso says all realty needs can be handled with him at the new office but there is a wide range of items Corso can and has auctioned off in his time as an auctioneer.

reminding on the topic of auctions, Corso has shifted during his 20-year career to heavily market items and auctions that citizens would be interested in.

Those interested in services provided by Matt Corso and Kaufman Realty and Auctions, visit their websites at kaufmanrealty.com or kaufman-auctions.com.

Matt Corso appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.

During National Nutrition Month the St. Louis Dairy Council is highlighting a special dairy product that has gained popularity as a trend on social media. Cottage cheese has the spotlight this month for the St. Louis Dairy Council and Kelsey Bentlage, a Registered Dietitian and Nutrition Educator explains why the positive nutritional factors and the versatility of taste in cottage cheese make this a staple in the dairy food isle.

Bentlage attributes the popularity of cottage cheese to the vast amount of recipes and snacks the food pairs with.

With the neutral taste of cottage cheese, Bentlage says it can serve as a rare ingredient that can be used for both savory and sweet.

Research-based information and recipes with cottage cheese can be found by visiting www.stldairycouncil.org.

Kelsey Bentlage appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.

A new law may soon be on the books to help ensure insurance coverage for certain infertility treatments, thanks to State Senator Michael E. Hastings.

Hastings filed Senate Bill 2639 in response to a constituent in his district whose physician had recommended that they seek in vitro fertilization treatment. However, when the constituent tried to access IVF care, they were told by their insurance provider that they had to complete other procedures before it would be covered by their insurance company, even with the recommendation of their licensed physician.

This measure will ensure that insurance companies will provide coverage for infertility treatments that are recommended by a physician without requiring them to complete treatments that were deemed ineffective by their doctor.

Senate Bill 2639 would also allow a licensed physician to immediately approve any of these procedures based on the covered patient's medical, sexual, and reproductive history, age, physical findings, or diagnostic testing.

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, approximately 10% of couples receive medical help to become pregnant.

Senate Bill 2639 passed the Senate’s Insurance Committee on Tuesday and moves to the full Senate for consideration. 

This is part three of a three-part series where Regional Radio News got information from Ameren, EPA, and My Community My Family to get everyone's side of the story of what is happening at the Superfund site.  To see the other parts of this series, click here and here. 

With all of the work being done by Ameren and the IEPA at the Superfund Site in Taylorville, one group is making their voices heard in what they see as a lack of caring, a lack of testing, and a lack of empathy. It’s about protecting children says Mason Boston, PR with “My Community My Family.” Nikki Cisco and Boston sat down with Regional Radio News to talk a little about what they are doing and why working against this project is so important to them. Boston says the relationship between themselves and the EPA has been tense. 

My Community My Family met with legislators and other community leaders including State Senator Steve Mclure and felt that they were gaining some ground. Senator McClure said that he was in good communication with the EPA and that he wanted testing to be done soon. Boston said during the meeting that testing had been done at the test site but not anywhere else and he questioned why.

Since that meeting, Boston and Cisco say the EPA has changed their tone, saying that there needs to be more time, and more planning and even in a press release that Regional Radio News received from the EPA it was stated that the EPA had not observed any threats to human health or the environment associated with the demobilization efforts. According to the EPA, this is one of the reasons Ameren is still at the site due to those demobilization efforts something that was supposed to be wrapped up already but has taken a longer time. Cisco feels that Ameren and the EPA haven’t been proactive enough or communicated enough. 

Since the discussion that Regional Radio News had with Cisco and Boston, Boston says that private testing has been done and heavy metals were found on the southwest side of the site.  

The IEPA still has not given My Community My Family a timeline for when they will be doing testing, regardless of discussions during the meeting stressing the urgency of testing. Cisco says there are ways you can get involved with meetings on Monday evenings and there will be health surveys.

On April 20th there will be Music Bingo Night, which will be a fundraiser for privatized testing and other needs. Find out more information by visiting My Community My Family Facebook page. 

A candidate has announced his run for the Illinois State Representative position in the 107th District. Incumbent, Brad Halbrook has served as an Illinois State representative since 2012. Representative Halbrook says the position requires experience, which the representative says he has had plenty of during his time in the position.

Halbrook speaks on some of the current issues regarding Illinois. The representative says that his goal is to advance the conservative movement in the state.

Halbrook says he enjoys having visitors to the Capitol Building in Springfield to understand the moving pieces that generate government action. Representative Halbrook calls Springfield a complicated place with spokespeople from many different walks of life.

The primary is set for Tuesday, March 19, 2024.
 

The Taylorville High School spring musical premiers this Thursday as the student actors present 42nd Street. This 1980s Broadway musical, set in the 1930s, is the story of a small-town girl with big-time dreams. Mylie Sims and Cayden Crowe are two leading cast members excited to bring their rendition of 42nd Street to the community.

From auditions to rehearsals, to costume and set design, the students have put in many hours to perfect this performance. Cayden Crowe spoke on the students and community members who also got involved to set the stage for the time period.

Director Kathy Fergin has been pleased with the students' efforts as they learn their lines and edit their acting.

The performance of 42nd Street will take place at Taylorville Junior High School this Thursday, March 14th, at 7:00 p.m., Friday, March 15th at 7:00 p.m., and a Saturday matinee starting at 2:00 p.m. and the final show at 7:00 p.m.

Tickets are on sale now for reserved seating and can be purchased by contacting Kathy Fergin at 217-825-4857. Ticket prices are $12 for adults and $9 for students for reserved seating, tickets will be sold at the door for $9 for adults and $7 for students.

The Taylorville School Board of Education met last night for their regular monthly meeting at 6:00. All members of the board were present. There were no public comments. The approval of minutes and the treasurer's report along with an overnight trip request for the Taylorville High School Band to travel to Kansas City to perform at area auditoriums passed unanimously. 

Under old business, a presentation was given by the MCP Midwest Construction Professionals, where the Taylorville High School gymnasium and lobby addition budget were explained by each project. Pricing on all aspects of the build was considered including roofing, athletic flooring, fire protection, labor, and more were considered. The estimated time for the project was said to be 10-11 months.

Agenda item “Alternate 4”, using metal panels on the entire north and west sides of the building in place of masonry, which added $30,000 to the overall budget. Ann Chandler made a motion to pass alternate items A1, the chorus room addition, A2, band room renovations, A3, the Tommy TV classroom addition, and A6, replacing existing soil. The motion passed with Board Members Tom Finks and Dr. Mizer voting no.

Agenda items A4, using metal wall panels on the north and west sides of the school in place of masonry, and A5, adding a new HMA parking lot to the north end of the gym, were pushed to be voted on as the construction project proceeded closer to completion. Tom Finks and Dr. Ron Mizer were the only board members to vote no.

Under new business, the board approved the membership for the IHSA. Resolutions were adopted to transfer $5,971,000 from the working cash fund to the Capital Projects Fund along with transferring $5,000,000 from the education fund to the Capital Projects Fund. The two items passed 5-2 with Dr. Ron Mizer and Tom Finks voting no.

Interim Superintendent Deborah Philpot gave her superintendent's report, relaying positive messages of a smooth transition to the new interim superintendent, Kenneth Schwengel, then to the future Superintendent, Brandi Bruley. Philpot thanked the board for their hard work through difficult situations and wished the board and all involved with the school district the best of luck moving forward. 

The board then went into a lengthy closed session and returned with employment details for multiple new staff of Taylorville High School. School board Treasurer, Wendy Dulakis announced her resignation effective June 24. 

The Next Taylorville School Board meeting is set for April 9th, 2024.

The Taylorville Park Board convened for a special meeting on Tuesday night. The meeting promptly transitioned into a nearly one-hour executive session. Following the session, it was announced that the Easter egg hunt would be relocated to Jaynes Park, typically held at Manners Park. Additionally, the Park District disclosed that they would be closing the road from the west entrance of Manners Park on Webster St to the Manners Park dining hall. However, the dining hall and playground will remain open. A motion was also made to approve funding for UES located in St. Louis, Missouri to conduct private testing for Manners Park.

The next park board meeting is scheduled for March 25th, 2024.
 

(Taylorville)--The Taylorville Kiwanis Club heard about Faith Bible Christian Academy in Rosamond, at their weekly meeting on Tuesday at the Taylorville Moose Lodge.  

Program speaker was Kim Blakley (right), Partner Builder with Faith Bible Christian Academy.   She told Kiwanis members she’s been a pre-school teacher the past 5 years, and shared success stories of the school supporting its over 130 students.   

Blakley added that F-B-C-A is partnering with Greenville University to have high school students earn college credits.

Blakley outlined many of their extracurricular programs including shop class, H-V-A-C, cake decorating and baking, and several sports teams including basketball, volleyball, track, and cheerleading.

Blakley was hosted by Kiwanis program chair for the meeting, Adam Jeffrey (left).

The public is reminded of the upcoming Kiwanis Pancake and Sausage Breakfast Saturday, April 27th at the Moose Lodge, with proceeds benefiting local Kiwanis projects for children and youth.  Those projects include Coats for Kids, Kiwanis Park, high school and YMCA scholarships, and grants to other local non-profit organizations that have similar goals.

The Taylorville Kiwanis Club is part of a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time.  Weekly meetings are held Tuesdays at noon at the Taylorville Moose Lodge.  For information on the club, go to taylorvillekiwanis.com.

The Morrisonville community is gearing up to host an event aimed at saving lives: a blood drive in collaboration with ImpactLife. The blood drive will be held on Wednesday, March 27th, from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Morrisonville United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall located at 109 South East 5th Street.

This initiative comes at a time when blood donations are more crucial than ever, with hospitals constantly in need of replenishing their blood supplies. 

To be eligible to donate blood, individuals must be at least 17 years old (16 with parental permission) and weigh more than 110 pounds. A photo ID is required for donation. Donors who last gave blood on or before 1/31/24 are eligible to participate in this drive.

Blood donation is a simple and safe process, typically taking about 45 minutes to an hour. Those with diabetes or controlled high blood pressure may still be accepted as eligible donors. As a token of appreciation, all donors will receive an ImpactLife Promo Voucher, which can be redeemed for an EGift Card (Target, Amazon, etc.), used for bonus points towards a Green Happy Go Lucky T-Shirt, or directed towards planting trees in a US forest.

ImpactLife serves as the primary provider of blood products and services to over 125 hospitals and Emergency Medical Services across Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Wisconsin. In the Morrisonville area, ImpactLife is the exclusive provider to Pana Community Hospital and Taylorville Memorial Hospital.

Individuals interested in contributing to this life-saving cause are encouraged to schedule an appointment by contacting ImpactLife Springfield at (800) 747-5401 or by visiting www.bloodcenter.org and using code 60529 to locate the drive. While appointments are requested, walk-ins are also welcome.

The Lake Land College Board of Trustees will consider three candidates to fill a vacancy on the board at the regular March 11, 2024 meeting.

Candidates who have submitted application materials by the March 1 deadline are: Curtis Garrard, Effingham, Larry Lilly, Mattoon and Scott Wilson, Charleston.

Following the regular business items on the agenda, the board will go into closed session to discuss the selection of a person to fill the board seat vacancy. Following the discussion, the board will return to open session and approve a candidate to fill the board vacancy as discussed in closed session. The individual selected will be seated at the April 8 board meeting.

The vacancy was created in February with the resignation of former trustee Mike Sullivan, Mattoon.

Those interested in filling the vacancy were to submit materials explaining the reason for seeking the appointment, qualifications and experience in other areas which may enhance public policy or decision-making. Eligibility requirements for the trustee vacancy are: U.S. citizenship, 18 years of age or older, a resident of Illinois for one year immediately preceding election, and a resident of Community College District No. 517 for one year immediately preceding election.

The individual selected by the board to fill the vacancy will serve until the next consolidated election in April of 2025.

The Taylorville School Board of Education is set to meet tonight at 6:00 at the district office, located at 1120 North Sportsman Drive in Taylorville. The meeting will begin with the consent agenda, the treasurer report, consideration of personnel and consideration of overnight trips will take place.

Under old business, a presentation and possible action will be taken concerning the high school construction project for the gymnasium and lobby addition. Also under old business, the board will look to approve the amended FY 24-25 school year calendars.

Under new business, consideration and possible action are to be taken on the IHSA annual membership renewal. Brenda Patrick will present March Talking points from the Illinois Association of School Boards.

The meeting will conclude with the superintendent report and an executive session.

Stay tuned to Regional Radio News for more information following the conclusion of the meeting.
 

With the two-year anniversary of former Speaker Mike Madigan’s indictment coinciding with National Ethics Awareness Month, House Minority Leader Tony McCombie (Savanna) is using the opportunity to advance ethics reform in the Illinois  House this spring.

Leader McCombie is pushing for reform as several indictments have come down recently. To address what the Minority Leader sees as shortcomings, McCombie has filed a measure, HB4119, to prohibit elected officials from using political campaign donations to pay for criminal defense. 

Madigan, the longest-serving state House speaker in modern U.S. history, was indicted on federal racketeering and bribery charges in March 2022. He was set to stand trial in federal court in April 2024, but the trial has been pushed back to October 8, 2024. To date, it is confirmed that he has used millions of dollars campaign funds to pay for his legal defense.

 
House Republicans have pushed hard for greater ethics reform. McCombie’s bill is just one measure out of dozens that Republican lawmakers have planned for this year in the Illinois House.

Leader McCombie’s HB4119 is scheduled for an Ethics and Elections Committee hearing in the Illinois House this week.

The University of Illinois Extension is set to host a new program at Pana Community Hospital for those looking to become an expert in all things eggs. Appearing on Thursday, March 21st, at 10:30 a.m., the Eggs: From Farm to Fork class will be taught by Lisa Peterson, a Nutrition and Wellness Educator for U of I Extension.

Peterson gives a sneak peek into some of the content that will be covered during the class like the difference between scrambled and sunny-side-up eggs and the safety concerns involved.

Registration for this class can be found at extension.illinois.edu/events/-eggs-farm-fork.

Lisa Peterson appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.

State Senator Rachel Ventura, joined by mental health advocates and professionals, made an announcement at a press conference Thursday, advocating for the legalization of psilocybin, commonly known as "magic mushrooms," in Senator Ventura spoke on removing barriers to healing and destigmatizing plant medicines like psilocybin.

Senate Bill 3695, also known as the CURE ACT (Compassionate Use and Research of Entheogens Act), aims to address treatment-resistant conditions such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, substance abuse, and eating disorders by legalizing psilocybin. The bill also facilitates research into the safety and efficacy of psilocybin through medical, psychological, and scientific studies.

Senator Ventura calls the use of psilocybin a potential breakthrough in treatment options for citizens struggling with a variety of mental and physical health ailments.

Under Senate Bill 3695, psychedelic therapies would be administered in controlled, supervised settings to ensure safety and effectiveness. Retail sales of these medicines would be prohibited, and they could only be used under supervision at designated service centers.

Katie Sullivan, a healthcare provider and co-founder of Modern Compassionate Care, noted the importance of crafting the bill with input from healthcare providers and advocates to ensure the safe and ethical delivery of psychedelic treatments.

Senate Bill 3695 has been assigned to the Senate Executive Committee. Senator Ventura recognizes the step forward in the movement to legalize psilocybin for therapeutic use in Illinois.

The Macon County Conservation District continues to provide programs for home-schooled students ages 5 to 15 to immerse them in nature and educate the young minds on the world around them. Alysia Callison, Director of Program Services for the Macon County Conservation District says the group holds home-school programs on the second Wednesday of each month.

The program this month is called “Tall Trees”, where students will spend time indoors and outdoors, engaging in games and hands-on activities. Tall Trees will appear on Wednesday, March 13th, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Rock Springs Nature Center.

Programs like these are effective in supporting the growing population of home-schooled students, and Callison is happy to be providing this education to youngsters.

Registration is due by Monday, March 11th, and more information about this home-school program can be found at, www.maconcountyconservation.org/events/homeschool-program-tall-trees.

Alysia Callison appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.

Volunteer registration is now open for the Memorial Health Championship, a PGA TOUR sanctioned golf tournament at Panther Creek Country Club. Tournament officials announced that COUNTRY® Financial will continue to serve as the Official Sponsor of the volunteer program.

The tournament is looking to recruit more than 400 volunteers to fill over 20 different committees at this year’s event scheduled for June 24 - 30. As the sponsor of the volunteer program, COUNTRY will support this dedicated team of people who perform a variety of critical needs throughout the week. Whether one is a golf novice, an avid fan, volunteered in the past, or a new volunteer, there is something for everyone. 

There are numerous perks offered for volunteers including branded apparel, meals while working, weekly credentials for volunteers, additional tickets for family and friends and the opportunity to play the Championship’s host course in the volunteer golf outing. There are also a limited number of junior volunteer opportunities available during tournament week and provides a great way to earn service hours.

For more information or to sign up, visit www.memorialhealthchampionship.com and for questions about volunteer duties or the registration process, contact Emily Canham at (217)670-2910 or emily@memorialhealthchampionship.com
 

Several Lake Land College broadcast sales students recently earned certification as broadcast sales professionals from the broadcast training company, P1 Learning, in partnership with the Illinois Broadcasters Association’s Sales Training Program. Students earned their certifications by completing a four-week course, complete with video classes, tests, and assignments as part of the broadcast sales class in the Broadcast Communication program at Lake Land College.  P1 Learning is a nationally recognized training company that administers training for hundreds of broadcast stations. 

Greg Powers, Broadcast Communication Instructor and Station Manager of WLKL 89.9 FM helped students in preparing for the certification and explained the benefits of receiving the broadcast sales certification, where students learned topics of sales, leadership, management, on-air, compliance, and more. 

Each of the professionals will be honored on a plaque displayed alongside those of the previous year’s students.  The IBA funded the initiative.  To learn more about Lake Land College’s Broadcast Communication program, contact Powers at 217-234-5335. The following students completed the course:

Seated L to R:  Madison Hunter, Assumption; Tolin Irby, Charleston; Patricia Ann Kelley, Mattoon; Emma Theriault, Charleston Front Row Standing L to R:  Erin Kistner, Witt; Lauryn Samuelson, Mattoon; Olivia Carroll, Mattoon Back Row Standing L to R: Greyson Baumann, Mattoon; James Robinson, Robinson; Jason Trigg, Charleston

The Broadcast Communication department will also be hosting an open house on Friday, March 22nd from noon until 2 PM.  Lunch will be provided at noon.  Attendees will have the opportunity to tour the college’s student-run FM radio station, WLKL 89.9 The Max Alternative, explore the TV studio and production control room and experiment with state-of-the-art camera and video equipment.  

The Taylorville Street Department and City Council have announced the tree limb pickup schedule for April. Tree limbs will be picked up in April with Ward 1 beginning Monday, April 1st, Ward 2 on April 8th, Ward 3 on April 15th, and Ward 4 on April 22nd.  

Only tree limbs cut by property owners will be picked up by the city.  Professional tree trimmers are responsible for disposing of all branches, brush, and trunks of trees that they trim or cut down.  The street department is asking that residents stack limbs with branches pointing in the same direction, the weekend before the chipper is scheduled to be in your ward. The chipper will not rerun any areas within a ward.  Stacks of limbs with other materials in or on them will not be picked up. 

The next tree limb pickup will be in October 2024. For any questions, please contact Michael L. Mann, Street and Sewer Superintendent. 

A new bill could help first responders receive free mental health insurance coverage. State Senator Michael E. Hastings says that Senate Bill 3538 would require any self-insured county or municipality that provides health insurance coverage to first responders to include mental health counseling coverage without any cost-sharing requirements on patients.

Senate Bill 3538 passed the Senate Local Government Committee on Wednesday and now heads to the full Senate for consideration. 

The Wright family, who owns Wright’s Furniture & Flooring is excited to announce the new Wright Family Center grand opening that will be taking place today at 10 AM.  There is also a ribbon cutting outside of the building located at 206B S Pine Street in Dieterich, Illinois. 

The center will include Montessori Kids Universe, a student daycare for up to 50 children, a 24-hour multi-purpose fitness center, three community rooms, and an indoor walking track.  The Wright family has advocated for the project, purchasing the naming rights for the community center in the spring of 2022, naming it the Wright Family Center.  Traci Bruns has been hired as the director of the facility and will help with oversight of programs.  The center is located adjacent to Dieterich Unit #30 K-12 School.  

The community center is a shared project with Dieterich and many other agencies, volunteers, and businesses including Wright’s Furniture.  The group has been working together on this since the fall of 2019 to fund and build the center.  Tom Wright, Chairman of Wright’s Furniture says countless sponsors, donors, volunteers, businesses, and associates have helped bring this dream to life. 

For more information visit www.facebook.com/wrightfamilycenter.  

March Serves as National Nutrition Month, which has been celebrated by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics since 1980. In honor of the month focusing on healthy living, the University of Illinois Extension is busting common food myths.

Lisa Peterson, Nutrition and Wellness Educator for U of I Extension, began by breaking down the fresh fruits and vegetables vs canned foods debate. Peterson says to read the product label on the can to find out if the fruits and vegetables have extra salt or additives.

Peterson has bad news for juice cleansers as one juices the fruit for a multiple-day detox, it takes out the critical fiber that fruits and vegetables are already rich in.

Peterson puts an end to the super-food debate as she denies the claim that there are foods that can cause weight loss.

For more research-based information provided by the University of Illinois Extension visit extension.illinois.edu/news-releases/national-nutrition-month.

Lisa Peterson appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.
 

As April approaches the Prairie Center Against Sexual Assault prepares to shed light on the issue of sex crimes and the trauma that follows during Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Erin Domonousky, with Prairie Center Against Sexual Assault, brings attention to the “Turn Our Town Teal” initiative as teal ribbons will be strewn about the Christain County Courthouse, showing support and strength to those who have suffered sexual abuse.

A recent uptick in sexual assault crimes has been seen. Domonousky attributes this to the normalization of victims coming forward and speaking out to bring justice to abusers.

Domonousky says volunteers are welcome to assist in decorating the courthouse with teal ribbons.

Prairie Center Against Sexual Assault has a 24-hour hotline for individuals needing their services, call 217-753-8081.

Erin Domonousky appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.
 

A candidate has announced his run for the office of At Large Circuit Judge of the Illinois Fourth Judicial Circuit. Judge Doug Gruenke, a current Associate Circuit Judge for the Fourth Judicial Circuit and has served as such for three years. Before that, Gruenke was in private practice law for 18 years, then was elected as the Clinton County States Attorney.

Current topics such as crime and legislation are heavily debated amongst representatives and state senators, Judge Gruenke describes the changes that are seen in courtrooms from a judge’s perspective concerning the SAFE-T Act.

Gruenke notes his recommendation by the ISBA Bar Poll and county sheriff endorsements.

The Primary is set for Tuesday, March 19th, 2024.

The American Red Cross has announced blood drive dates for this month in the Regional Radio listening area.

In Shelby County:

3/19, Stewardson–Strasburg High School blood drive, running from 2:30-6:30, in the Stewardson-Strasburg High School cafeteria

3/21, First Baptist Church Shelbyville blood drive, running from 11-5, in the First Baptist Church Shelbyville fellowship hall

In Christian County :

3/6, Pana High School blood drive, running from 9-2, in the Pana High School multipurpose room – sponsored by the Pana High School NHS

3/13, Kemmerer Village blood drive, running from 10-2, in the Kemmerer Village chapel

3/22 Taylorville Christian Church & Visionway School Community blood drive at Fellowship Hall 1124 North Webster Street on Friday, March 22nd, 11 AM- 6 PM. 

In Fayette County:

3/12, Vandalia Moose Lodge blood drive, running from, 11-5, in the Vandalia Moose Lodge hall

3/13, Brownstown Community blood drive, running from 2-6, in the Brownstown Elementary School cafeteria, sponsored by the Brownstown High School NHS

3/14, Ramsey Community blood drive, running from 2-6, in the Ramsey Grade School cafeteria

3/19, Dutch Prairie Community blood drive, running from 1-6, held at Heartland Carriage

Come to give March 1st through the 24th for a $10 e-gift card to a pet supply merchant of choiceYou will also be entered for a chance to win a $3K gift card (5 winners!).  

For more information visit redcrossblood.org. 

Shafer-Perfetti and Assalley Funeral Homes is a family-serving-family institution that has been providing funeral arrangements since 2010. Recently, Taylorville lost a community leader in Mike Assalley, who had been operating the business and running for the county coroner position before his passing.

Lauren Assalley, wife of Mike, will be picking up where Mike left off, bringing comfort and options to families dealing with the loss of loved ones.

With unexpected deaths in a family, arrangements are the next steps to be taken but many questions concerning the deceased may be unanswered. Assalley urges the community to have the tough conversations about afterlife arrangements before a death takes place.

Assalley wants the community to know that all operations are running as normal at Shafer-Perfetti and Assalley Funeral Home, and Lauren thanks the Taylorville community for their unwavering support in her and her family's time of loss.

For services offered by Shafer-Perfetti and Assalley Funeral Home, contact 217-824-3311 or visit assalleyfuneralhomes.com.

Lauren Assalley appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.
 

Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) on Friday recognized March as Problem Gambling Awareness Month (PGAM) in Illinois. To raise awareness around gambling disorders and honor those in recovery, a statewide art contest will shine a spotlight on the power of recovery. Throughout the month, IDHS will also partner with providers across the state to raise awareness about treatment options for those in need.

IDHS's Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery (SUPR) continues to work with gambling providers to expand outreach and raise awareness for the problems gambling can cause. IDHS launched an art contest, open to all residents of Illinois age 14 and over, to highlight Problem Gambling Awareness Month. The program is part of the new "Are You Really Winning?" Campaign.

The juried art program aims to raise awareness of gambling issues and to deliver a sense of hope to those who are struggling. Accepted media include drawing, painting, printmaking, mixed media, collage, digital art, fiber art, textiles, glass art, photography, ceramic art, assemblage, sculpture, graphic design, and illustration. The winning submissions will be displayed in June.

According to research by Health Resources in Action (HRiA), 4% or nearly 400,000, of Illinois residents have a gambling disorder, and another 7%, or 700,000, are at risk of developing a gambling disorder.

SUPR has also helped providers prepare for an increase in problem gamblers coming in for treatment. Illinois is now the 4th largest state in terms of total calls/texts/chats to the 1-800-GAMBLER helpline. In State Fiscal Year 2023, 48,513 screenings were conducted by treatment providers, representing a 110% increase over the previous year.

Over the past four years, there have been over 679 clinicians trained to provide gambling disorder treatment services in Illinois. This year, SUPR will provide monthly webinars focused on gambling disorders, a two-day Summit on Problem Gambling, a 30-hour Gambling Counselor Training, three community and culturally (Black/African American, Latinx, and Asian cultures) focused conferences on gambling disorders, as well as a virtual introduction to the Eisenberg Disordered Gambling Emphasized SBIRT (EDGE SBIRT) screening tool. To learn more, click here.

If gambling has become a problem for you or someone you know, call 1-800-GAMBLER. Help is also available through the website AreYouReallyWinning.com and by texting GAMB to 833234. 

The Illinois EPA says they have not observed any threats to human health and the environment related to the CIPS Taylorville Ameren demobilization efforts.  The US EPA will also be getting involved.  There will be another question/answer session concerning community questions for the CIPS Taylorville site regarding the site's five-year review on March 26th. Regional Radio News reached out to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to find out the latest on what is taking place at the CIPS site. Kim Biggs, Public Information Officer, reached out with information she has received from the IEPA staff.  

Illinois EPA says they have received several complaints or concerns regarding conditions at the CIPS site during Ameren’s demobilization from the site.  Ameren is demobilizing following the shutdown of the pilot project being conducted to determine the feasibility of solidifying deep contamination that remains at the site. IEPA has visited the site several times in response, collecting readings at several locations.  Some of the sites that the EPA says they have visited and collected samples from include: the CIPS site itself, the nearby park playground, the intersection of S. Webster and West 3rd, south of the intersection of S. Washington and W. 2nd St, the intersection of Madison and W. 3rd, the northwest corner of Farm Tavern parking lot off S. Shumway Street, and off the interior Manners Park road near the north edge of Park Lake.  

Ameren is restoring the site and resurfacing the lot and driveway with gravel. Any soil and debris generated from the restoration and resurfacing of the site is being disposed of off-site at a landfill after appropriate waste characterization.  It was initially expected that work at the site would be completed by March 2nd, however, demobilization of the site is still in progress and not expected to be complete until the end of March.  The stop work order issued last fall is still in place, and the Illinois EPA is still awaiting a response from Ameren to its December “Next Steps Letter.”  

In late February, local officials and community members received notice of a five-year review for the site that will be conducted by the U.S. EPA.  Five-year reviews are required at Superfund sites where contamination remains in place to ensure that the implemented remedies function as intended and continue to be protective of human health and the environment.  This is the sixth five-year review of the site which includes an opportunity for the public to tell US EPA about site conditions and concerns. 

To submit a comment, contact David Linnear (Remedial Project Manager) at linnear.david@epa.gov or Ruth Muhtsun (Community Involvement Coordinator) at muhtsun.ruth@epa.gov.  Comments must be submitted by April 1st. The question and answer session will be on March 26th at 6 PM at Lincoln Land Community College, 800 South Spresser Street in Taylorville.

Find out more information at https://www.epa.gov/oh/central-illinois-public-service-co-superfund-site-five-year-review-process. 

Recognizing the need for continued research, education, and outreach to further nutrient loss reduction goals, the Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB) will host four spring Nutrient Stewardship Field Days for farmers and industry partners to collaborate and discuss ongoing research and innovative approaches to nutrient stewardship including one in Montgomery County. 

Hosted through IFB’s Nutrient Stewardship Grant Program, the upcoming spring Nutrient Stewardship Field Days will focus on cover crop management and highlight ongoing cover crop research in Greene, Montgomery, Washington, and Clinton counties. Additional field days across the state will take place later this summer.

Farmers, as well as those interested in learning more about agriculture’s role in protecting the environment, are invited to join IFB, its membership, and partnering organizations to learn more about past and current Illinois conservation practices and research.

Montgomery County Farm Bureau will be holding their sessions from 9 AM until 1 PM at 102 North Main Street in Hillsboro and Reynolds Farm at 20275 Irving Road in Nokomis.  
    
Montgomery CFB is inviting farmers and community partners to tour local cover crop fields and learn more about cover crop best management practices and the Illinois NLRS. Speakers include IFB staff, NREC leaders, and representatives of industry partners such as American Farmland Trust (AFT), Progressive Agronomy Consulting, and Montgomery Soil and Water Conservation District.

The 2024 Nutrient Stewardship Field Days are funded through IFB’s Nutrient Stewardship Grant Program. The program, now in its ninth year, distributed $165,000 in 2024 to 25 CFBs that will collaborate on 18 projects to further Illinois water and soil conservation efforts.

The Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy (NLRS), released by the Illinois Department of Agriculture and Illinois Environmental Protection Agency in 2015, is a guide for wastewater treatment plants and urban and agriculture stakeholders to reduce the loss of nitrate-nitrogen by 15% and total phosphorus by 25% into Illinois waterways by 2025. The eventual target is a 45% reduction in the loss of these nutrients to the Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico.

For more information on upcoming field days or to browse past events, visit www.ilfb.org/FieldDays.

The Taylorville Food Pantry is in need of a pick-up truck. On Saturday mornings, one of the operations for the Taylorville Food Pantry volunteers is picking up large quantities of food from area grocery stores. This initiative is called the Food Rescue Program and the donations require ample space to travel from the stores to the food pantry.

Amy Hagen, Coordinator with the Taylorville Food Pantry says the food pick-up job has been completed for the past months by two dedicated and selfless citizens, who had access to a pick-up truck.

Hagen describes volunteering at the food pantry, whether it’s stocking shelves or picking up donations of food, as rewarding. Volunteer numbers have increased slightly over the last month which excites the food pantry coordinators and will result in more families in need being served.

Days of service at the Taylorville Food Pantry are Tuesdays from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., Thursdays from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. The TFP is located at 1429 East Main Cross Street in Taylorville.

To get involved in volunteering or for any questions about the Taylorville Food Pantry, call 217-824-4113.

Amy Hagen appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.
 

Taylorville Police Chief Dwayne Wheeler is putting his foot down when it comes to littering and speeding around the Taylorville Square. Many Alderman have expressed concern over conduct on the square where many local young people spend their nights.

Chief Wheeler has taken a no-nonsense approach when it comes to trash being left on the square as he acknowledges and plans to place fines of $750 on citizens who fail to find a trashcan.

The improper conduct on the Taylorville Square looks to be addressed quickly and swiftly by the Taylorville Police Department, says Chief Wheeler.
For questions or concerns, contact the Taylorville Police Department at 217-824-2211.

Chief Wheeler appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.

A candidate has announced her run for the office of the Illinois House of Representatives to represent the 107th District. Marsha Webb, a Macon County native, currently serves as the Macon County Circuit Clerk’s Deputy Clerk, she has experience as a firefighter and paramedic and was the National Lead Instructor for Emergency Medical Services.

Webb speaks on the reasons for her state representative bid, citing her ability to come to agreements across the aisle, in what she calls a divisive political environment.

Webb shares her position on the current state of the Illinois budget and spending. She relates to the “Reagan Approach” to tackle the issue.

The primary is set for Tuesday, March 19th, 2024.

As March unfolds, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security sound the alarm, recognizing it as Severe Weather Preparedness Month. March represents the critical need for readiness, IEMA-OHS urges families across the state to brace themselves against the looming threat of severe weather.

IEMA-OHS Director Alicia Tate-Nadeau stresses the unpredictability of severe weather, urging Illinoisans to prepare for potential disasters, ranging from flash flooding to tornadoes. Recent weather events, including 11 tornadoes and hail, describe the urgency of readiness.

Ed Shimon, Warning Coordination Meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Lincoln, explains the life-saving importance of preparedness plans, saying that swift action is needed in life-threatening situations, as demonstrated by the EF3 tornadoes that struck Robinson and Lewiston last year.

In 2023, Illinois grappled with two significant Presidential Disaster Declarations, tallying over $462 million in damages due to severe weather and flooding. Nationally, flooding emerges as the most prevalent natural hazard, with just an inch of water capable of causing $25,000 in home damage, as per FEMA.

The Illinois Department of Insurance and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources advocate for flood insurance as a safeguard for homeowners, renters, and businesses. Flood insurance coverage, obtainable through the National Flood Insurance Program, comes with a 30-day waiting period, necessitating immediate action for protection against spring/summer flooding.

Beyond flood preparedness, IEMA-OHS advises families to establish a comprehensive Family Communications Plan, safeguard important documents, conduct home inventories, and ensure property and possessions are adequately insured. An emergency kit and "go bag" are recommended to sustain families for at least three days during power outages or evacuations.

With the looming threat of severe weather, Illinoisans are urged to equip themselves with essential supplies, maintain readiness plans, and stay informed. For more tips and preparedness resources, visit ready.illinois.gov/plan/emergencykit.

As the state braces for potential disasters, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency reaffirms its commitment to readiness, urging citizens to heed the call for preparedness and safety.

The 2024 Central Illinois STEM Fair is set to dazzle attendees with new exhibits and robust backing from area education leaders. Scheduled for Wednesday, April 10th, from 6:00 p.m. to 8 p.m., the fair will take place at Rochester High School's Athletic Complex.

Taylorville High School is stepping up its exhibit game, adding two innovative showcases to its lineup. These include a laser engraving machine exhibit and a display featuring the technology tools utilized by the school's photography club, alongside the popular Tommy TV exhibit.

Pana Elementary will unveil a smart cutting machine known as Cricut, while the Illinois State Board of Education's Learning Technology Center will feature the micro bit, a tiny affordable computer tailored for educational purposes.

Glenwood Middle School will introduce a new exhibit on Project Lead the Way Gateway, offering insight into an engineering curriculum designed for students in grades six through eight.

Springfield Iles School will present two fresh exhibits. The First Lego League robotics team and a collection of student projects competing in the Illinois Junior Academy of Science (IJAS) Science Fair. Additionally, there's an open invitation for students from other schools to showcase their IJAS projects.

Superintendent Kent Froebe of Lincoln Elementary School District 27 emphasizes the fair's role in promoting STEM innovations and fostering student engagement, citing increased interest among participants.

Interim Superintendent Deborah Philpot of Taylorville School District, is proud of the district's commitment to STEM education and its dedication to providing enriching opportunities for students.

Local colleges like Lincoln Land Community College and the University of Illinois at Springfield are expanding their exhibits, recognizing the importance of STEM fields in shaping the future. Brent Todd, Dean of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at Lincoln Land Community College, stresses the institution's responsibility to engage students in STEM disciplines.

Dan Cox, Superintendent for Rochester CUSD3, the host district for the fair, sees the event not only as a showcase for projects but also as a celebration of curiosity, creativity, and the limitless potential of students. He aims to inspire the next generation of innovators and change-makers through the wonders of STEM.

Families, students, and educators from all area schools are encouraged to attend. Free tickets can be reserved via the fair's website. Schools interested in exhibiting can obtain information by emailing rochesterstemfair@qmail.com.
 

Congratulations to our Miller Media Group and Peoples Bank & Trust Students of the Month for February at Taylorville Junior High School. Lucas Walter, Brayden McClure, Kali Duknoski, and Amber Achenbach were recognized for displaying courage in the face of adversity throughout the month of February.

Pictured: Lucas Walter (8), Brayden McClure (7), Kali Duknoski (6), Amber Achenbach (5) and Mr. Mason Crowe. 

Richland Community College in Decatur continues to resolve problems after a cybersecurity attack on February 17th.

The college’s web site is still down as is their phone system.

College officials posted on their Facebook page that the college experienced a network security incident that caused a disruption to their systems. Upon learning of this issue, the college's IT security team immediately initiated comprehensive security measures to assess the interruption. As part of this investigation, they’re working closely with external cybersecurity professionals to restore normal operations as quickly as possible.

This incident required Richland to shut down parts of their network as they work to remediate the issue. As a result, some of their IT assets may not be fully available. 

In-person classes continue as normal, and students can access online courses through Canvas by going to this website: richland.instructure.com. Network servers, phones, some department emails, and the college website richland-dot-edu are currently inoperable until the servers can safely go back online. Student and faculty/staff emails are still available.

Students are being directed to the Student Success Center for in-person assistance.

Officials at Richland are working around the clock to resolve this cybersecurity breach, but didn’t post a timeline as to when normal service will be restored.

The following students are recognized for their outstanding "courage" throughout the month of February at TJHS.

Pictured: (L-R) Front Row--Raegan Lynch, Seth Williams, Amber Achenbach, Logan Stearns, Reagan Smith, Brantley Rueff, Linus Melton, Emily Brown, Camri Phillips, Ariel Johnson, Elizabeth Strauss, Kali Duknoski (L-R) Back Row--Ava Reed, Ella Mills, Noah Norman, Brindel Gaynor, Silas Joyce, Jackson May, Madelyn Likes, Marley Beach, Haley Copeland-Erwin, Brayden McClure, Lucas Walter

Easton Hemken and Hadlee Christopher

Roseland Theater in Pana is approaching its 15th year of operations, being one of the few remaining single-screen theaters in Illinois. Jeff Eisentraut with Roseland Theater says updates over the years to video and audio equipment have maintained the theater to provide quality entertainment for the community to enjoy.

Eisentraut recognizes that economic development and having a movie theater in town go hand in hand. He explains that many citizens travel to Pana just for the Theater aspect.

Being a single-screen theater, Eisentraut says creative efforts must be made to keep seats filled and kernels popping.

Eisentraut explains some of the features that Roseland Theater has kept up-to-date over the years.

Roseland Theater is located at 127 South Locust Street in Pana.

Jeff Eisentraut appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show live from the lobby of Peoples Bank and Trust in downtown Pana. 
 

Taylorville City Council met to review old business, ordinances, and committee reports.  All aldermen were present except for Randy Mitchelson and Steve Dorchinecz. After approval of minutes, the council approved the BDD agreement for the new Sonic, the agreement with 104 South Main Street, a four-way stop sign at W. Vine Street and North Powers Street (Megan Bryant voted no), the change date for the Street & Sewer Committee Meeting to Wednesday, March 27th due to a holiday, and a motion to purchase a Vermeer Drill.  

A situation has arisen over a $200,000 grant the city received, but it was reported during the meeting that everything was under control. Taylorville Mayor Bruce Barry says that surveying for the downtown area is going well.

Under committee reports, the council approved the purchase and installation of recessed can lights, a special events permit for Taylorville Main Street-Small Town Taylorville, a Grapple Bucket, Street and Water Main Improvements for the 200 block of East Poplar along with some other projects, and paving for the Taylorville Veteran’s Memorial parking lot. 

The next City Council meeting is set for March 18th. 

Every year, about 350,000 people suffer sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) outside of a hospital setting with almost 90% of all cases being fatal.  While there is an underlying belief that heart problems such as SCA tend to be more of a concern for men, that’s not the case.  In fact, women make up almost 40% of SCA episodes.  Just as women may experience different symptoms of heart disease than men, their risk of SCA is somewhat different too. 

According to Nancy Dagefoerde, an advanced practice nurse with OSF Healthcare Cardiovascular Institute, SCA can happen to any adult over 30, depending on risk factors, family history, and other issues such as a heart birth defect. SCA is different than a heart attack, which occurs when there is a blockage in a coronary artery on the outside of the heart.  Many times, a heart attack si the cause of sudden cardiac arrest. 

Dagefoerde also says that symptoms can be different in women than men and because of that things may be missed.

Another reason why women are at a higher risk for SCA is because they are more likely to delay seeking care ofr their symptoms since women tend to worry about others in their family first.

Some symptoms of SCA include fainting, dizziness, racing or irregular heartbeat, chest pain, shortness of breath, and nausea.  Risk factors can include a previous heart attack, coronary artery disease, a prior episode of SCA, family history, and person or family history of abnormal heart rhythms among others. Dagefoerde says that having regular checkups can help.

If you see someone drop to the ground and think it could be SCA, call 9-1-1 immediately.  The faster CPR is started, and defibrillation is administered, the better the chances of survival. 

The Taylorville City Council is set to meet on Monday at 7 PM.  There are several motions for discussion on the floor for this meeting and the council will also review the planning commission recommendations. 

Under ordinance discussion, the council will review ordinances concerning the BDD, adding 4-way stop signs at W. Vine Street and North Powers Street, the Street and Sewer Committee Meeting date will be changed to Wednesday due to the holiday on March 29th, and the water department purchasing new equipment.

Under committee reports, the council will review and potentially approve motions concerning recessed lights, a special events permit for Taylorville Main Street-Small Town Taylorville, a Grapple Bucket, bids for the 200 block of East Poplar Street and water Main improvements, the Market and Madison Street Project, Storm Sewer replacements, downtown alleyways on the west side of the square and south side of the square, and engineering for the Taylorville Veteran’s Memorial. 

The council will hear from the public, the city attorney, and Taylorville Mayor Bruce Barry. Stay tuned to Regional Radio News for more following the meeting. 

Spring fever is a term used to describe mental and physical changes that are brought on by the closing of winter and the onset of spring. Ed Lacheta, Director of Mental Health for Shelby County Community Services says, spring fever is an adaptive mechanism in a person's body to the change in temperatures.

Those in the community who may be feeling unexplained fatigue throughout the day are not alone says Lacheta.

Contributing factors for spring fever are unclear says Lacheta. He gives a list of possible causes that could describe the existence of spring fever.

Lacheta provides tips for citizens to make for a smooth winter-to-spring transition.

To reach Shelby County Community Services call 217-774-5587.

Ed Lacheta appeared as a guest on the WTIM morning Show, live from our studios in downtown Shelbyville.
 

Bundles and Bliss held their official grand opening on Friday, moving into their new location on the Taylorville Square at 103 South Washington Street. Abby Barlow, Owner of Bundles and Bliss is happy to be joining the business on the square.

A higher traffic area is what Barlow was looking for when relocating, and she says she has achieved that with the new space.

Barlow breaks down the hours of operations, staying consistent with the times of other businesses on the square and accommodating her full schedule.

Bundles and Bliss is now open at 103 South Washington Street on the Taylorville Square, and Barlow is happy to be in good company in downtown Taylorville.

The WSVZ and Family Drug-Shelbyville Students of the Month for February 2024 were presented with their awards recently. Pictured from left to right are Will Stirrett, Toni Jones, Aly Douglass, and Kara Tipsword.

Freshman: Will Stirrett, Sophomore: Toni Jones, Junior: Aly Douglass and Senior: Kara Tipsword. 

Regional Radio News congratulates the Students of the Month!

Genuine Country 94.3 WMKR along with People's Bank and Trust are recognizing the Pana Students of the Month for February 2024. The February Pana Students of the Month are MacKinsey Perry, Joey Laker, Lexie Hubner, and Claire Osborn.  We here at Regional Radio News salute all the PHS Students of the Month. 

L - R: Freshman MacKinsey Perry; Sophomore Joey Laker; Junior Lexie Hubner; Senior
Claire Osborn; PBT Representative Kyndall Jones 

The Assumption Community Daycare took another step towards opening as the selection has been made for the future director. Brianna Horton, a Shelbyville native, has been named the future Director of the daycare. Horton is no stranger to providing care and leadership to the youth through her work in pediatrics and working for Kemmerer Village since 2022.

Schales Nagle, Executive Director for Kemmerer Village, says Horton jumped at the opportunity to be director immediately, and with her credentials she was a perfect fit.

The finishing touches are being added to the daycare like internet wiring and playground construction. Nagle says these strides would not be possible without the help of local donors.

The opening date for the Assumption Community Daycare has not been set and a wait-list is not yet available for incoming children. Nagle says to keep an eye on the Kemmerer Village Facebook for updates on the official opening.

Brianna Horton and Schales Nagle appeared as guests on the WTIM Morning Show.

Lake Land College will celebrate with graduates during a Commencement ceremony on Friday, May 10, 2024, at 6 p.m. in the Field House. Lake Land College President Josh Bullock says that the graduates have accomplished a lot and he is excited to celebrate this milestone with them. 

The ceremony will be live-streamed via the Internet from the college’s homepage at LakeLandCollege.edu. In addition to seating in the Field House, overflow seating showing the live stream on a large screen will be available throughout campus. A recording will also air on local cable channels in the days following.

College photographers will capture moments throughout the evening and make the photos available for download at no cost. The process to sign up for Commencement is simple and can be completed online. There is no cost to order a cap and gown or to participate in the ceremony. The first step is to file an Intent to Graduate in the student portal, the Laker Hub. After allowing two days for the Intent to process, graduates can measure for a cap and gown online in the Laker Hub. Admissions & Records will also send all graduates a letter with complete instructions for cap and gown measurement.

The deadline to file an Intent to Graduate is Friday, March 15, 2024. The deadline to measure for a cap and gown is Friday, March 29, 2024.

For more information about Commencement, contact Admissions and Records at 217-234-5434. 

To ensure and instill proper practices while taking care of livestock, Christian County 4-H members will soon have the opportunity to participate in the yearly Youth for the Quality Care of Animals training. This University of Illinois Extension program is required to be taken by 4-Her’s who show and work with livestock.

Sara Marten, County Director for the University of Illinois Extension says the event will be held Saturday, April 13th at the Christian County Extension Office, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Rules and regulations can change on a yearly basis says Marten. Another reason why this event is a yearly requirement for 4-Her’s exhibiting beef, dairy, goat, sheep, and swine.

Marten says 4-Her’s will practice hands-on skills during the YQCA training.

Those interested in being involved in the YQCA training must be resisted by May 1st and can find registration by visiting extension.illinois.edu/cjmm/4-h-christian-county. The in-person event fee is $3 and the online version of the training is $12.
For more information contact Jessica Jaffry, 4-H Youth Development Coordinator, at 217-854-9604.

Sara Marten appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.

Loving Arms Pregnancy Center is celebrating 25 years of providing parental services, education, and options to local individuals and families. Cathy Coker, Executive Director, calls the services robust and comprehensive with parental care routes offered in terms of classes and access to vital products used for babies and infants.

Loving Arms is excited to announce the upcoming open Community Forum, as speaker Scott Phelps, Executive Director of A&M Resources, will take community youth and parents through the “Success Sequence” that looks to drive teenagers towards a brighter future. The Forum will be held on Thursday, March 7th, at Taylorville Christian Church, beginning at 7:00 p.m.

Coker began by describing the wide range of services offered at Loving Arms Pregnancy Center.

Heather Voelz, Prevention Coordinator for Loving Arms, presents the Choices4Life program to schools in Christian County. The programming involves curriculum from Scott Phelps’s teachings and focuses.

Voelz shares what Phelps will be providing at the forum and tells the community the forum is for all interested parties including, teenagers and parents or guardians that would like to be involved.

The Loving Arms Community Forum is open to the public and questions about the event can be directed to 217-824-7200.

Cathy Coker and Heather Voelz appeared as guests on the WTIM Morning Show.

Taylorville High School will hold its Spring Musical Production of the musical 42nd Street in March and reserved seating is available.  All of the students have been working hard to put this production together and are excited to be putting this event on.  The story is of a small-town girl trying to make it big on Broadway.  

Performances will be held at the Taylorville Junior High Gymnasium on Thursday, March 14th at 7 PM, Friday, March 15th at 7 PM, Saturday, March 16th at 2 PM, and Saturday, March 16th at 7 PM.  Reserved seating is $12 for adults and $9 for students. Reserved seating may be purchased by contacting Kathy Fergin at 217-825-4857.  You can also get general seating which is $9 for adults, $7 for students, and will be available at the door.